Angela Liao
Fourth-Year Double Major Psychology and Early Childhood Education Double Dawg Contact Information al82101@uga.edu How did I get involved in IMPACT?
My first IMPACT trip was my freshman year where I went to Baltimore for Veterans Awareness and Advocacy (my RA was my site leader and she was the one who encouraged me to apply!). It was a truly eye-opening experience where I could learn more about intentional service-learning and social justice with a group of open-minded and kind-hearted people. Since then, I’ve participated in IMPACT every year, once more as a participant sophomore year and then once as a site leader junior year. I’m excited to embark on one more IMPACT trip and serve the local community of Charleston and I hope that my participants have as great time as I have! Why Ageism? Ageism is a social justice issue that affects a large population of people from all walks of life, but is also a social justice issue that is often not talked about. It intersects with other social issues and is very complex in nature; aging is a natural process that has become a social problem, with explicit external obstacles and implicit negative norms. Our perceptions of the aging process, how we are socialized to interact with people of different age groups, and the institutional barriers placed against certain populations hugely affect levels of happiness and well-being. Age does not define ability, so I am interested in exploring how to combat this issue in an intentional manner. Fun Fact: The definitive ranking of frozen dairy products is gelato, frozen yogurt, ice cream. |
Jena Jibreen
Second-Year Double Major International Affairs and Psychology Contact Information jena.jibreen@uga.edu How did I get involved in IMPACT?
Even before I arrived at UGA for my freshman year, I constantly heard about IMPACT through my sister and her roommate, who had experience in leading trips herself. So, when I finally got to UGA, I knew that IMPACT was something I was interested in getting involved with, and I signed up for the winter break trip to Charlotte for Shelter and Resource Access. I really loved being a part of the service-learning experience alongside extremely kind and considerate participants on the trip. I met some of the most amazing people ever since getting involved in IMPACT, and my lovely site leaders made it clear to me why this is an experience I want to continue to be a part of. I can’t wait to serve alongside others in our winter break trip to Charleston! Why Ageism? Even though ageism affects a very large portion of society, from the elderly to the youth, it is not talked about nearly enough. I, myself, hear very little about this social justice issue on a daily basis, and I am uncomfortable with being oblivious to certain nuances of the matter. Many of the issues surrounding ageism are institutionally- and culturally- based, and there is a wide intersection with other social justice issues that makes this even more complex and pressing. The stereotype that assumes a person’s age defines them is incredibly detrimental, and I look forward to learning more about how we can combat these problems and how we can serve those harmed by them, in an effective and intentional manner. Fun Fact: I am an apple (the fruit) expert—give me any apple, and I’ll tell you what kind it is, how good it’s going to be, and which parts of it you should avoid. I urge you to try me (not a threat, just a kind suggestion). |
Additional Information About Ageism
How Ageism Looks Like in Athens/Georgia:
How Ageism Looks Like in Charleston/South Carolina:
Educational Materials:
Overview Info: "The Age Gap" Ted Talk: "The Harmful Effects of Ageism" Video: Don't Believe Ageist Myths Article: |
Intersectionality: the complex, cumulative way in which the effects of multiple forms of discrimination (such as racism, sexism, and classism) combine, overlap, or intersect especially in the experiences of marginalized individuals or groups. (Webster-Miriam)
Social Issues our trips connects to: Affordable Housing, Community Health and Wellbeing, Food Justice, Disability/Ability Awareness https://strianews.com/when-it-comes-to-aging-intersectionality-matters/ http://www.transgenerational.org/aging/ability.htm https://rxfilm.org/problems/silver-tsunami-united-states-healthcare-thomas-gill-yale-center-on-aging-interview/ https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/03/23/521103662/food-is-just-one-serving-of-what-meals-on-wheels-gives-seniors https://www.asaging.org/blog/challenge-intersectionality http://www.helpage.org/blogs/madeleine-mcgivern-31050/when-older-people-flee-their-homes-from-danger-ageism-is-a-barrier-to-accessing-help-1088/ |